1. Technical Field
The present invention generally pertains to motor vehicles. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an air deflecting apparatus for sliding roof segments, detachable roof segments and the like. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to a trip feature attached to a sunroof deflector on a vehicle.
2. Discussion
Increasingly, sunroofs and removable/retractable roofs have become popular in vehicles as factory options as well as after market accessories. Sunroofs and removable/retractable roofs allow the driver to obtain additional light as well as a feeling of openness while in the vehicle. However, the addition of an opening in the roof of a vehicle causes air to be ingested into the passenger compartment. In recognition of this effect, it is known in the pertinent art to add air deflectors to the front edge of the roof-opening to divert airflow up and away from the roof-opening.
Many different styles of air deflectors are utilized to divert airflow over a roof-opening. Some deflectors are a simple ramp feature that extends the length of the front edge of the roof-opening. The ramp feature diverts airflow up and away from the roof-opening. Other deflectors utilize a series of ramps or castellations interposed with spaces to divide the airflow into smaller flows as well as up and away from the roof-opening.
With any method in which the airflow is diverted, high pressure areas are formed. After formation, the high pressure areas equalize with the adjacent lower pressure areas resulting in reattachment of the airflow. Both styles of known deflectors cause reattachment at different distances from the deflectors depending on the speed of the vehicle. If reattachment occurs at a distance that is over the roof-opening, buffeting or repeated flow change may occur. When the frequency of the buffeting approaches the natural frequency of the body of air that is in the vehicle, undesirable changes in pressure and unwanted noise result.
While many attempts have been made to control airflow over a vehicle roof-opening, the variations in vehicle speed and profile have exposed the limitations of each known design. Thus, it remains desirable in the art to provide an apparatus which more effectively deflects wind and causes airflow to stabilize as it passes over a roof-opening. It is also desirable that such an apparatus delay the reattachment point of the airflow to a distance past the roof-opening.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the deflection of wind over a sliding or removable roof segment of a vehicle that causes the air to stabilize and increases the distance at which airflow reattachment occurs.
In one form, the present invention provides an apparatus for reducing the buffeting effect of airflow over a removable or retractable roof-opening disposed in the roof of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a rail adjacently mounted to the leading edge of the roof-opening. Attached to the rail is a deflector or castellation for selectively routing the airflow up and over the roof-opening. Connected to the top of the castellation deflector is a trip segment that extends forwardly.
Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from a reading of the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.